Nathaniel Branden is a
psychotherapist, a corporate consultant, a lecturer, and the author of
20 books, including The Six Pillars of Self Esteem, My Years With Ayn
Rand, Taking Responsibility, and The Art of Living Consciously. He
helped launch Objectivism as a philosophical movement with his
20-lecture course entitled “Basic Principles of Objectivism” at the
Nathaniel Branden Institute in New York City in 1958. At that time he
was Ayn Rand’s close associate. After their falling out he continued his
work as a psychotherapist and lecturer, and became a leading spokesman
for the self-esteem movement in psychology.